It’s long been understood that deployment of any kind can have serious repercussions for the individual’s physical and mental health, but not many studies have been done to look at how early interventions, even before deployment, can change the overall outcome. A new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, however, sought to do just that, working with the idea of mindfulness training on some active-duty marines who were…

It’s summertime! However, watch how long you soak up that sun! A new mouse study has found that continuous exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes the release of endorphins, known as feel-good hormones, leading to physical dependence, tolerance, and addiction-like behavior.[1] This could explain why people have an instinctive desire to be in the sun, despite its known health risks.1 “This information might serve as a valuable means of educating…

Innovative new technology in the form of a portable brain-mapping device can show brain areas damaged by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[1] University of Texas—Arlington (UT) researchers have developed a tool to access brain activity in student veterans when they were asked to recall information from simple memorization tasks.1 The new device uses functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to map brain activity responses during cognitive activities related to digit learning and memory…

According to new research, “haters, ” or those people who dislike so many things, may actually be good at their jobs.[1] Why? Because they spend a lot of time on a few activities, giving them the opportunity to hone their skills on those focused tasks.1 A person’s dispositional attitude—whether they are a “hater” or a “liker”—plays an important role in their daily activities.1 This means that people who like many…

Recognizing emotional facial expressions is an ability that is already impaired in many who suffer from autism, and new research from Georgetown University has found that this tends to worsen over time.[1] “Our findings suggest that while neurodevelopmental processes and social experience produce improvements in facial emotion recognition abilities for children without autism, autistic children experience disruptions in these processes, ” said Dr. Abigail Marsh, associate professor of psychology in…

According to researchers at Emory University, women aged 55 and younger who experience moderate to severe depression are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack, die from heart disease, or require artery-opening procedures.[1] “Women in this age group are also more likely to have depression, so this may be one of the ‘hidden’ risk factors that can help explain why women die at a disproportionately higher rate than men…

According to new research, children who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder have greater activation in the right amygdala—a brain region that is very important for emotional reaction—when viewing emotional faces, compared with adults with bipolar disorder.[1] The finding suggests that children with bipolar disorder may benefit from treatments that target emotional face identification, such as computer-based “brain games” or group or individual therapy.1 This study is the first meta-analysis to…

A new study by the University of Iowa (UI) has found that prolonged stress causes a surge in the hormone cortisol, which can result in short-term memory loss in older adults.[1] Short-term increases in cortisol are critical for survival, as they help to promote coping and help us respond to life’s challenges by making us more alert.1 However, abnormally high or prolonged spikes in cortisol, such as that which accompanies…

One-third of all completed suicides involve heavy use of alcohol before the attempt, said researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[1] The research is the first to compare alcohol use among victims of suicide with a nationally representative survey of non-suicidal adults in the United States.1 The study was designed to calculate the risk of suicide in relation to drinking and heavy drinking.1 The researchers say the findings…

New research has found that young adult men who watch more violence on television showed indications of less mature brain development and poorer executive functioning.[1] For the investigation, Indiana University School of Medicine used psychological testing and MRI scans to measure mental abilities and volume of brain regions in 65 healthy males with normal IQ who were between the ages of 18 and 29.1 According to lead author Tom A.…